Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-19
EDUCATIONAL MEN.
FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF PUB
LIC.sCHo0L SUPERINTENDENT.
Addresses by Attorney.9eneral Ayers, DR..
Buchanan, and 0thers-Yester-
days Proceedings.

Addresses by Attorney.0eneral ayers, pr
Buchanan, and 0thers-Yester-
days Proceedings.
The 9th annual conference Of the county
and city superintendents OF the public free
schools Of the State met yesterd'y
morning at 10 O'Clock at Central Hall, on
Fitch street. DIR. J. l.. Buchanan, state Si-
perintepdent OF Public Instruction, occu-
pied the chair. A. y. McGilvray acting
secretary. There was u large attendance
from all sections oi ihe state.
Mr.. Hugh ID. Ragand, Of Goochlini,
opened the session with prayer. after which
Colonel John B. Cary delivered briet but
excellent address Of welcome, In which he
said 1--WE need better teachers, and they
need better paw" In defending the puOlic
schools he said: Woe be unto that party,
whoever they may BE-, whether American or
foreign. that dare lay unhoiy hands upon
the public schools OF Virginia. (Applausel.
Mr.. G.. L. Jordan, OF Augusta, m,de
pleasing response 0h behalf Of the COME
renee to the address OF welcome, tIking Oc-
casion 10 compliment not only the city o.
Rich mond, but its schools. He further said
that the clements OF opposition to the pub
lie schools Were fast disappearing. He in.
timatod that DIR. Buchanan was TO be made
the trustee OF the public moneys and thai
the public. school teachers were 10 be made
firs,-class creditors.
TEACHERS EXAMINATIONS.
Mr.. 4. /. Carne, OF Alexandra, deliy-
cred an oddre on the EXarrnation and
C,riiucaiIon OF Teachers" in which he
said that re tnCw Of some teachers who haf
cotton an average OF more than 20 per cent
by examining each others papers.
QUE stlOn by meDber: "'YOu would not
Ike 10 give names; ~
"No, sir: but will give them to the SI'
pernteudent al epy tune"
RI Is ain ost useless 10 add that this state
Of gGans did not exist under the present
administration.
DR. j. +. Bryant. who wls 10 have ii''t
discussed Mr.. CaruCs'S subject, was Assent
through sickness.
Mr. y. W. Brown, the next speaker, ar
lucd that the Scbool.IoOm was the best test
of a teachers clpacily; that he had teach
crs in the primary schools that should get
Just as good pay rs those OF other grldeS.
When you find her (cvidently abiding to
| iema,c tcacbcrS) you should keep her. lie
argued thst alter being with the teachers
in The schools he thought be should know
thom. lie thought IL degrading to examine
The teachers annually.
The subject was then opened for general
discussion. which was participated in by
MeSsrS. Thomas l.. Brksdlle, OF HALIFAX,
/ and Frank T. Wet, OF Louisa.
Mr.. Robot {. Saunders, OF Campbell
county, argued that II Professor Nenable
| =. D. ,1
Gates that the public school teachers have
to be examined on, " will bet two TO one
that he couldn't rass.' [Laughter.l lie
argued that the superintendent should have
some discretion in the matter OF qulIiiica.
tion. In closing be paid neat tribute -
! the wise manner in which pr. Buchanan
! had thus acted upon this subject.
The subject was further discussed by
Mc-sr,. II. i. Carson, OF Washington; {.
7. JORDAN, OF Augusta; +. T. West, Of
Louisa: j. y. Alien. of James City; W.
Il. Mitchell, OF Carroll; william G. viii
Fam,, of ORANGE; Giles +. Euba1k, OF
/ Northumberland; NJ. u. Hall, OF Fairfax;
John z. West. OF Norfolk county, and VII.
/ liam +. COOns, OF Culpeper.
MODE SUGGESTED.
blr. Chancellor Bailey, of spotsyyania,
offered the following:
Re,olrcd. That the protection Of the free
school system in each county. as well as tne
protection OF each county superintendent, eau
( lie lest attained by ach superintendent re-
I Quiring applicants to stand the examination in
/ accordance with tho questions filed by each
/ with the State superintendent
MIR. Abram Staples, Of Patrick, con
( tuued the discussion, and i'm conclusion
; said be- bad heard one superintendent sly
L.. 4 inf 4 a.
/ about one hundred applicants He wanted
( 10 set rid OF this trouble. "Charge them
| dollar apiece" said he. "and YOU won't
/ bc worried with 50 many app icantS."
/ Mr.. Bailey's resolution was referred 10
n sneclal committee OF six. appointed by
| The Chair
~ O'Clock a recess was taken until p
Z. NJ.
Afternoon Session.
The conference T,as>embled pursuant 10
adjournment.
Er. buchanan said that before any other
! business vas proceeded with it would be
wen TO 90 into the election ~ yice-preSi-
| dents. and the following gentlemen were
cho-en without opposition: First con.
gressIonal district. l. 81. Crutchtield; Sec-
oud, J. T. West; Third, passeI by; Fourth.
/ T. v. SydHor; Fhfb, passed by; sixth.
| ". &. saunders; Seye"ih, ID. Z. Powers
Eighth, II. l.. Cane: Ninth, Il. +. CIrsOn;
Tenth, A. j. Richardson.
ATTENDANCE.
The subject for the regullr evening, dis
cusSion was " "AYrase Attendance of Pu-
| pills How C,n 1t be Increased ?-Its Ei-
! iocts on 1eGcher>' Salaries and Discipline
q Schools"
Mr.. c. II. Chiffon, Of Appomaitox
county. was expected 10 dolivoraG address
on thi, subject, but was prevented from
doing so by sickness. Mr. Warren l..
Coons. OF CGlpeper. however, read an in
| tereSting paper before the conference, and
closed by saying that he hoped the matter
would be fully discussed.
The subject was then discussed at some
length by McsSrs. j. ;. Sagille, OF Rock
bridge. and j. l.. Mapp, Of AccOma;k
county, who were regularly assigned TO tue
slme; after which tue question came up
! for general debate.
Nessrs. Robert G. saunders, Rev. II. ID.
( Ragland. OF GOOchl1nd; ID. +. Powers, Of
Albcmalle; Joseph Fuqul, OF GOOc1laad;
Frank T. West, OF Louisa; Il. l.. Carne. OF
Alexandra. and George Z. Clskin, OF Ne-
son, indulged IN remarks pertinent % the
sui jec, The latter moved that a cOmait.
tee OF five be appointed by the Chair to
consider the propriety OF AMENDING what j.
known as "the average llw," and report
upon the same on Friday morning. Mr.
G. A. willis. O! Floyd, and Mr.. +. W.
SydnOr closed the discussion.
PAY FOR TRUSTEES.
Mr.. Oliver II. Tay lor presented a resolu.
ton looking 70 The payment OF school trus-
tees for services rendered. Laid on the
table.
At 5:15 O'Clock recess was taken until
9 i. NJ.
Night Session.
The conference was called 10 order m the
House oi Delegates al $40 O'Clock last
night-President Buchanan in the chair.
The roll was callcdaDd about seventy men,
b,rs answered 10 their names.
ATTORNEY. GENERAL AYERS.
The president stated 1t Governor Lee
was expected to be pr..ent, but that he
had another engagement. lie then In a few
appropriate remarks introduced Attorney
General Ayers. who, IN the course OF
his remarks, said: "COme what NAV, the
public schools shall he inyiolate. Those
who strike at the free schools shall not
stand. Have no fear that the coupons
will be used in sufficient numbers
10 affect sur schools" he said the Stlie
had offered fair settlement Of iis debt.
YiTginla's face Is set TO the rising sun. she